'Boy Meets World' #TBT recap: Mr. Feeny haunts Cory's dreams

Editors’ Note: As our love for spin-off series Girl Meets World grows, John Hanlon recaps the original series that ran from 1993 to 2000, reminding us why we fell in love with Cory Matthews, Topanga Lawrence, and Shawn Hunter in the first place.

The season finale of Boy Meets World explores one of the core relationships on the program: the one that exists between Cory Matthews and the invaluable Mr. Feeny. For much of the season, there’s been a knowing friction between the two characters—inevitable, since one is a 12-year-old boy and the other is the teacher who gives him homework—but that friction has never led to anything like this.

In this episode, Cory puts Feeny in the hospital.

Cory isn’t actually responsible for the incident, but he wishes ill for his teacher so that he can postpone an upcoming geography exam. Despite the fact that Feeny hasn’t missed a day for years (since World War I, Shawn points out), on the day of the exam, Feeny is mysteriously absent from school. All is well and good until Cory starts to believe that he’s actually responsible.

Even Shawn starts to believe it when Cory tells him about his supernatural ability in the high school cafeteria. Cory wishes for Minkus to become sick too, and a few minutes later, Minkus notes that he’s not feeling well. That ill feeling, though, comes from the fact that he’s learned that not only is Mr. Feeny sick, but he’s also been hospitalized. Shawn, ever the anxious sidekick, runs out of the cafeteria in fear. Maybe Cory does have the ability to make people sick?

At home, Cory looks for a sign from God to tell him that Feeny is going to be okay. He looks out the window, only to see the garden bird stick in Feeny’s yard collapse to the ground. Eek.

Cory feels guilty. He tries to sleep, but Feeny, who was hospitalized for an appendicitis, haunts his dreams. Cory wakes up to find Feeny sleeping in the bed next to him. Oh, wait. It’s another dream. Feeny just won’t leave him alone. “I’m dead, Mr. Matthews,” he says, “thanks to you.”

When Alan wakes up, he finds Cory dreary and sleep-deprived in the kitchen. “You look terrible,” Alan says. When Cory admits that he wanted Feeny to become sick so that he wouldn’t have to a geography test “about stuff [he] doesn’t need,” Alan tells him the story of Ms. Perch. Perch, Alan says, was one of his fourth-grade teachers. She taught him about things Alan didn’t think he would ever need, but years later, the math lessons she taught him helped him get promoted at his store.

Alan never had the chance to thank Ms. Perch for teaching the valuable lessons that helped him out in life.

With that in mind, Cory—of his own accord—takes the bus and visits Feeny in the hospital. He brings his professor a geranium (which he pronounces “germanium”) and wishes him well. He even thanks Mr. Feeny for the lessons he’s learned from him and the future lessons that Mr. Feeny will impart.

“In a strange way, you’ve kept me alive,” Feeny admits. He knows that he lives to teach his students, and Cory is one of the students who needs his life lessons. It’s a fitting note to end season 1.

Life lesson: Never wish someone ill. If they become sick, they could come back to haunt your dreams.

Memorable quote: “Cory, Fluffy fell out of a tree. They were trying to sew his head back on.” —Eric’s response when Cory mentions that Mr. Feeny could die in surgery, as their cat Fluffy once did

Note: This episode marks the end of season 1 and Minkus’ last regular appearance on the show. Lee Norris is only credited with appearing in one more episode, four years later.

What did you think of this episode? Did the vision of Mr. Feeny appearing all over the room remind anyone else of Being John Malkovich?

Expression Of JoyThe Brady Bunch: Groovy! The Bradys: Ritual hugging Married…With Children: ”Oh, great.” Thirtysomething: ”Of course I’m happy for you. Really. But what about me? Why does it always have to be about you? The Flintstones: ”Yabba-dabba doo

Expression Of Rage

The Brady Bunch: ”Hmmm…” The Bradys: ”If you back away from something you really want, then you’re a quitter!” (the angriest any Brady has ever been) Married…With Children: ”Aaagh, God, take me from this miserable life!” Thirtysomething: ”I’m not angry, OK?” The Flintstones: ”Willllmaaaa!”

Typical ProblemThe Brady Bunch: Marcia and her rival both want to be the prom queen. The Bradys: Bobby gets paralyzed. Married…With Children: Al doesn’t buy his family Christmas presents. Thirtysomething: Nancy gets cancer. The Flintstones: Fred and Barney are staying out too late.

Typical SolutionThe Brady Bunch: The prom committee decides to have two queens. The Bradys: Bobby gets married. Married…With Children: They hate him. Thirtysomething: If only we knew… The Flintstones: Wilma and Betty decide to follow them.

Attitude Toward SexThe Brady Bunch: Never heard of it The Bradys: Omigod — even Cindy does it! Married…With Children: Peg: Yes. Al: No. Thirtysomething: They didn’t get all those kids by accident. The Flintstones: Prehistoric

How Spouses FightThe Brady Bunch: They don’t. The Bradys: Infrequently, but it happens Married…With Children: Tooth and nail Thirtysomething: They stop talking The Flintstones: Fred and Barney go bowling while Wilma and Betty max out their charge cards.

How Kids Get Into TroubleThe Brady Bunch: Greg takes a puff of a cigarette. The Bradys: Carol’s grandson steals her business cards and sticks them in the spokes of Bobby’s wheelchair. Married…With Children: By committing felonies Thirtysomething: Ethan plays with a forbidden toy rocket. The Flintstones: They don’t.

How They’re Punished

The Brady Bunch: ”It’s not what you did, honey — it’s that you couldn’t come to us.” The Bradys ”Next time, ask.” Married…With Children: By the authorities Thirtysomething: It blows up in his face. The Flintstones: They’re not.

What Family Does For FunThe Brady Bunch: Takes special three-part vacations to Hawaii and the Grand Canyon The Bradys: Has flashbacks Married…With Children: Exchanges insults Thirtysomething: Talks The Flintstones: Attends showings of The Monster at the Bedrock Drive-In

Unsolved MysteriesThe Brady Bunch: How exactly did Carol’s first husband and Mike’s first wife die? The Bradys: What’s with Marcia’s new face and Bobby’s blonde hair Married…With Children: What kind of hair spray does Peg use? Thirtysomething: Why did Nancy take Elliot back? What do Gary and Susanna see in each other? The Flintstones: How does Barney’s shirt stay on if he has no shoulders? Where do Fred and Wilma plug in their TV?

Worst BehaviorThe Brady Bunch: The Brady children once made Alice feel under-appreciated.

Best Reason To WatchThe Brady Bunch: This is what life should be. The Bradys: They’re all grown-ups now! Married…With Children: Terry Rakolta hates it. Thirtysomething (Tie) This is your life. This isn’t your life. The Flintstones: This is what life might have been.

Best Reason Not To WatchThe Brady Bunch: Blurred vision from rerun overdoses. The Bradys: You’re all grown-ups now. Married…With Children: She has a point. Thirtysomething: After a while, you think it’s real. The Flintstones: The Simpsons